Intro: "Kick Push" by Lupe Fiasco

Welcome to Morgan's Mix Tape: My Life in Song. 

Let me begin by confessing that I am not a musician, nor am I in any way affiliated with the music industry.  (Ok...I used to play the flute in my high school band and I own a VERY dusty guitar that I don't know how to play....but, somehow, I'm sure these two facts don't earn me any musician street cred.)  I am merely a fan of almost all forms of music.

In this weekly blog, every Friday I will post a song that appropriately summarizes my adventures or random thoughts.  My day job, as a marketing professional and business development director, requires a significant amount of travel.  I am slogging through finishing my first novel.  I also just officially hired the services of a professional matchmaker.  (Intuitive Matchmaking)  Life is most definitely in full swing for me and I have plenty of stories to tell!

So, in this my inaugural post, the first addition to my mix tape is:

"Kick Push" by Lupe Fiasco

I often listen to this song at work and when I am writing.  It makes me think of my childhood in my hometown of Cleveland, OH.  I grew up on the east side in the historically black, Lee-Harvard community. 

"Kick Push" is about finding a positive means of escape from day-to-day troubles.  I love the line "...freedom was better than breathing..." and the fact that the main character had to work hard at the skills needed to obtain his freedom.  I also totally dig on the fact that his girl says, "I don't need to ride your's. I got mine right here."  Translation: "WE can be together AND you don't have to carry ME."  Skater girls rock!

I was born with a mild case of wanderlust, so I can relate to this need to roam free.  My escapes were reading, music, and dancing.  Since my family didn't have money for extensive travel, I researched the places I wanted to visit.  China was at the top of my list.  It was a real pleasure to finally visit Beijing in January 2010.  (Paris, France is still on my list - though I have passed through Charles de Gaulle airport a few times, I haven't had the opportunity to stay in Paris.)

Sit back, relax, and listen to this mellow groove with a rich horn track, while plotting your next escape into serenity.

"So let's kick...then push...and coast."

I made it to China in January 2010!  Above is a picture taken on a VERY cold day at Tiananmen Square.